Foreign families 'talk' through games

Posted: Friday, December 24, 1999

MAX ALBRIGHTGlobe-News Business Editor

This holiday season, members of a family from around the world have gathered at a home in Amarillo for the birth of child.

Members of the Johri family of India and the Aldunate family of Bolivia said they are learning words from each other's languages, sharing foods, showing goodwill toward one another - and playing chess.

Amarillo residents AJ and Karyna Johri expect a baby in February.

Karyna Johri's mother, Elsa Aldunate, comes from La Paz, Bolivia. She taught school for 33 years and was a chess champion in La Paz.

AJ Johri's parents, V.K. and Pushpa Johri, come from Lucknow, India.

V.K. Johri, retired, was director of fisheries for the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh.

This Christmas, all the family members are living together at the Johris' home in southwest Amarillo.

AJ Johri from India and Karyna Johri from Bolivia met while they were students at West Texas A&M University. They graduated with master of business administration degrees.

Karyna Johri was a swimming champion in Bolivia and participated in the Pan-American games.

The couple did not return to India or Bolivia, but stayed in Amarillo, which is neutral ground, AJ Johri said.

Karyna Johri comes from a Catholic background and AJ Johri from a Hindu family. They got married in India.

"We just celebrate everything," said AJ Johri about the couple's and their families' beliefs and traditions, including Christmas.

V.K. Johri said he hoped his son, AJ Johri, would move back to India.

"I feel happiness in life is the real thing," V.K. Johri said.

Elsa Aldunate, who speaks mostly Spanish, and Pushpa Johri, who speaks mostly Hindi, spend a lot of time playing chess together. They don't need to know each other's languages to play. Elsa Aldunate usually wins.

The two also play Chinese checkers together.

All the family members play a card game from India called Flash.

While competition thrives at the game table, cooperation rules in the kitchen, where foods from around the world are cooked and served.